Meet the Students: Parte Seis

These three all-stars all participated in our tutoring program in Flor de Bastión last year, as some of our youngest students.  Juliana was even one of our overall leaders on our star chart!  They all worked so hard, and we are so blessed to have them as Scholarship students this year!

Juliana

  

My name is Juliana.  I am 12 years old and I study at “Agustin Castro Espinoza” high school.  I like the color blue and my favorite soccer team is Emelec.  I have 5 siblings – 4 sisters and 1 brother.  My favorite fruit is strawberry.  My birthday is January 10.  I like math and science.  When I’m older I want to be a doctor.

Anthony

  

Hi my name is Anthony.  I like rice & chicken.  I go to "Agustin Castro Espinoza" high school.  I am in 7th grade and my classroom's on the first floor.  My favorite subject is Science.  In my free time I like to watch TV and help my dad with his work.  I am 13 years old and my birthday is March 23rd.

Betsy

 

My name is Betsy.  I am 12 years old and I study at “Humberto” high school.  I am in 7^th grade.  My favorite food is encebollado.  My birthday is April 17.  In my free time I like to cook, watch TV and movies.  I also like to listen to music.  My favorite music are ballads, vallenatos and bachata.  My favorite singers are Romeo Santos and Prince Royce.

Meet the Students: Parte Cinco

In this weeks edition of "Meet the Students", meet newcomers Jhon Jairo and David, as well as Sofia who won her scholarship participating as one of our youngest tutoring students last year!


Jhon Jairo

   

My name is Jhon Jairo.   My goal is to graduate high school and go to college.  I like the colors red & black.  I would also like to be a soccer player, and also make sure that I stay away from bad habits like drugs.   My favorite subject is math.  My family is made up of 4 other people, with me, 5.  I like to travel, listen to rap music.  I also like language arts and physical education.  I’m doing well in school and I will keep doing my homework until the day I finally reach my goal.

David

     

My name is David.  My goal for this year is to improve, get better grades, behave well and help my classmates.

Sofia

     

Hi, my name is Sofia.  My goal is to pass 7^th grade, and be on the honor roll.  I like to play soccer and when I’m older I want to be a lawyer or a secretary.

  

Meet the Students: Parte Cuatro

To me, our three students this week have one big thing in common: their family values.  None of them come have what one might call a traditional family, but all of them are great examples of love and perseverance.  Evelyn is a returning scholar, after a one year absence from school and Starfish while she was pregnant with her daughter, Domenica.  Mirka was raised by a single mom with enough energy and love for to make up for it, and Julio was raised by his caring grandmother.  We are so proud of of the young adults they are all turning out to be! Here from them now in their own words, and see their smiling faces with their families: 

Evelyn

    

My name is Evelyn.  I was born on June 20^th, I am 18 years old.  I like music.  I have a beautiful daughter named Domenica.  I like to help my mom.  My favorite fruit is apples.  I want to be a secretary so that I can be successful and give my daughter a better future, to show her the good and not the bad.  I have the best parents who understand me.  First, I give thanks to God, and then to my parents because they are helping me out a lot, and I know that with their help I will get ahead and succeed.

Mirka

    

Hi my name is Mirka.  I am 16 years old and my birthday is September 3^rd.  I like to listen to all types of music.  My favorite colors are black, hot pink, white, purple and silver.  My favorite food is rice with baked chicken.  I like to be at Starfish because I learn things that I didn’t know before.  I am very happy because this year I’m going to graduate high school and continue my studies so that I can get a good job and help my family.  I am so thankful for everything that my mom has done for me, she has been my mother and my father and I have so much to thank her for.  I also thank the foundation that is now helping me this year.  

Julio

 

My name is Julio.  I am 16 years old.  My favorite colors are blue and black.  I go to “Transito Amaguaña” high school.  I am in 10^th grade.  My favorite subjects are math and science.  I don’t like English.  My favorite food is rice & chicken.  I like to listen to music and watch tv.

Part 5 of 8 of "Meet the Students" coming next week!

Ayudante Update from: Guasmo!

This week we get the chance to hear from our "Ayudantes" in Guasmo about the beginning of the school year there!

"During May and June, we set up a schedule with the parents to help us with snack.  So far, everyone has collaborated and the kids are satisfied with the snack they are given.

In the Starfish Foundation in Guasmo we have 2 groups:

Group 1: The students come Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  In the morning we have 7th, 8th and 9th graders, and in the afternoon we have 10th, 11th and 12th grades.  In each group they do their homework, and during free time we do ice-breakers.  The new students and the old students get along very well, there's a lot of friendship and everyone helps each other.

Group 2: The students come Tuesday and Friday in the morning and they are in 6th and 7th grade.  They do their homework and during free time we do ice-breakers.  The new students and the old students get along very well, there's a lot of friendship and everyone helps each other.  They really like the ice-breakers and other activities, and they have a lot of ideas.

We also had a parents meeting to explain the new rules, values and snack system.

In the foundation, we also go on field trips, and one of those was the Integration Day when we spent a morning playing sports with the Scholars.

From,
Yuliana, Cynthia, Lissette, Betsabeth & Marcos"

Ayudante update from: Flor de Bastión!

Today our Employees or Program Leaders  (the "Ayudantes") share with us a beautiful reflection about the beginning of the school year at our Flor de Bastión site...stay tuned next week for the Guasmo updates!

"Hi!  Here we have a very friendly environment where some of our most important values include: respect, fellowship, humility and mutual cooperation between us and the students.

We have three groups during the week, and each one is different from the others. One of these groups is the group with the youngest students, which is also our most active group.  Then we have our morning group which is a little quieter and always gives a 100% effort in their work, and lastly the second afternoon group which is a little more challenging to work with - some are quiet and others talk a lot, but all have dreams and goals to achieve!

We as employees and leaders always try to be patient and also to get to know each student better.  We share our friendship and our knowledge with them.  Even so, there are some things we are still working to improve, and every day we strive to be better.  That's a little of what is going on at the foundation.

Peace,
Jessica, Tyrone, María, Cecilia, Kevin & Jasmin"

You might notice a new name on that list - Find out more about the newest addition to our Starfish team, Cecilia, over at our Employees page!